I clucked in annoyance. “Do you see me shying away?”
His gaze crawled back to mine. “You’re off-limits,” he whispered. “I can’t…be with you.”
“Youcan, Adrik. If youwantto. But I’m not going to push you into anything. I don’t want to make you uncomfortable, but the truth is, I can’t stop thinking about you. You’re in my thoughts all the time. We can remain strictly friends if you’d prefer, but I’m not going to lie. I dream about more with you. Alotmore.” I’d never been this forward with a man before. I’d neverwantedto. But Adrik needed to know my budding feelings for him were real. If we were never anything more than friends, I would be okay with that, though I would always wonder what it would be like to be romantically involved with a sweet guy like Adrik.
He closed his eyes and expelled a long breath. I waited, my heart thundering, as he slowly opened his eyes and met my stare.
For a long moment, we just stared at each other, the air crackling between us with attraction and sexual tension. I had no doubt he wanted me too. He was just afraid of my family’s reaction if they learned we’d become more than friends. I wasn’t afraid of my family. I would deal with them if and when it became necessary.
“Annika,” he rasped softly, the longing in his eyes only making my pulse pound harder. “Do you know how many nights I’ve dreamed about touching you?” He inhaled sharply, then puffed it back out. “I want to kiss you sobad.”
My heart melted. I wanted that too.
My gaze darted to his lips.
His deformed upper lip might make it difficult for him to kiss, but it didn’t deter me in the least. I wanted his mouth on mine in a bad way.
Suddenly he bolted to his feet and headed for the door.
“Adrik!” I called. “Don’t go! Please.”
He halted, blowing out a breath. “I can’t…I don’t…” He blew out a breath. “I’ve never kissed a woman before. What if I…fuck it up?”
My chest tightened. Is that what bothered him? “I don’t care. We’ll figure it out together. But if you’re afraid to kiss me, then I’ll kissyou.”
He hissed out a breath. “Annika…” He groaned, closing his eyes. “You’re fucking killing me, making me want what I know I can never have…”
I huffed. “First of all, you need to stop thinking like that. Stop pushing me away. Accept that I’m being real with you. Accept that I don’t care about your scars and that I truly find you attractive.”
A long silence.
I held my breath. Waited. I’d just made myself vulnerable. Would he reject me? Run away?
He slowly opened his eyes, a cautious, yet hopeful look on his face. “You’ll show me…how?”
I held his stare.Oh, hell yes, you sexy hunk.“Yes. In fact, I kind of like the idea of having my way with you.” I winked.
Heat flashed in his eyes, so dark.
An answering need simmered low in my belly. “Close the door,” I whispered. “We have more stretches to do.”
His gaze locked on mine, the lust in his eyes saying he caught the innuendo. His chest rose and fell. “Touching you is torture, Annika.”
“Wantingyouis torture,” I responded. “You’re so sexy, you know that?”
He closed his eyes, swallowing hard. Then he marched to the door, pushing it closed and turning the lock. Spinning on his heel, he stalked back toward me. He halted at the edge of the bed, his gaze delving into mine. “I can’t figure out if you’re fucking with me or if you’re being serious.”
Need pulsed in my veins. I wanted his hands on me. Right now. I wanted to trail soft kisses all over his hard body. “Then come closer and find out.”
“Fuck,” he hissed out. “I don’t have much resistance when it comes to you.”
I held my arms out toward him, motioning him closer. “Stop resisting and give in.”
Indecision flickered across his face. Then he sank onto the edge of the bed. But he didn’t come any closer. “Your father will kill me if I touch you.”
“I’m twenty-seven years old, Adrik. A grown woman. No one has any say in my personal life. I haven’t been with a man in a really long time. I haven’twantedto. But I want to be withyou. So, so much.”
He turned toward me, his gaze cautious. “Truly?” he whispered. “I still can’t believe–”